Reading up

I'm taking some time to refresh myself on Maria Montessori and her philosophy and methods.  I'm looking for a link between what I feel is necessary in my classroom design and her philosophy of education.  Today I found one!  Montessori was the first person to have furniture designed specifically for children.  She felt that children should be able to move their own chairs and tables around without adult help and therefore create their own learning environment.  Her first school was built in a room with nothing, so there were no preconceived ideas of what a classroom should look like.

This got me thinking.  Can the students in my class move the furniture themselves.  Well, they can move the tables with help and the chairs no problem.  I want them to feel free to move the tables around and decide where they should go.  But I also need to stress the safety of having a partner or two to help move the desks and to lift with the knees.  I think in September this will be added to my mini lessons - how to move a table without hurting yourself.  Also, I forgot I wanted to get tennis balls to dampen the sound of chairs moving in my room.  I think I will add, how to move a chair properly too.  Maybe I can have parents help cut the holes in the tennis balls?  First volunteer sign up!